Ray HuOpening Night at DashilarThe central marketplace in Dashilar is usually a venue for groceries…Designed by: Dashilar Pilot Projectwww.dashilar.org

Ray HuOpening Night at Dashilar…but for one night only, it was converted to a bazaar, with vendors hawking goods, as well as live music—and, of course, alcohol.Designed by: Dashilar Pilot Projectwww.dashilar.org

Ray HuThe Dashilar Guild House at the QuanyechangBeijing Design Week had the opportunity to present the ongoing efforts at urban renewal in Dashilar at the Venice BiennaleDesigned by: Dashilar Pilot Projectwww.dashilar.org

Ray HuThe Dashilar Guild House at the QuanyechangThe newly renovated Quanyechang has served as a commercial hub for over a centuryDesigned by: Dashilar Pilot Projectwww.dashilar.org

Ray HuArchizinesAdjacent to the café in the Guild House, this reading room area featured over 100 independent architecdture publications from 20 countriesDesigned by: Elias Redstonewww.archizines.com

Ray HuIn a Simplified WorldLAVA (of Mobile Design Studio fame) presented a research project in which they developed a series of ideographs, presented as pairs broadly representing binaries such as old and new, East and West, etc.Designed by: LAVAwww.lavabeijing.comIn-a-Simplified-World

Ray HuIn a Simplified WorldLAVA also designed much of the media for Beijing Design Week, including the tome-like event guide and identity elements for the inaugural film festival, as well as the websiteDesigned by: LAVAwww.lavabeijing.comIn-a-Simplified-World

Ray HuAlley ParasiticNewcomers YEAH Architects developed an innovative modular solution for small living spaces: attached to ceiling tracks, poles on casters can be shifted around a room to divide the space as neededDesigned by: YEAH Architectswww.bjdw.orgindex.php/Dashilar/352.html?t=m&lang=en

Ray HuThe Fabrick LabElaine Ng Yanling has exhibited new work at each of the past few Beijing Design Weeks, and this year was no exception. She collaborated with a local craftsman to develop these traditional boxesDesigned by: The Fabrick Lab - Elaine Ng Yanlingwww.thefabricklab.com

Ray HuLIGHTWORKSAtlas Studio worked with a local wire-weaver, Mr. Zhou, to develop different lampshadesDesigned by: Atlas Studiowww.studio-atlas.com

Ray HuMicro Yuan'er - ModelOnce again, Zhang Ke's standardArchitecture built an in situ installation. The model, on display at the Guild House, belies the actual experience of the space…Designed by: Standard Architecturestandardarchitecture.cn

Ray HuMicro Yuan'erSited at the foot of a tree in a courtyard house, Micro Yuan'er is a private space that both borrows and updates the vernacular of old Beijing's ad hoc architectureDesigned by: Standard Architecturestandardarchitecture.cn

Ray HuMicro Yuan'er - DetailAccording to the architects, "Micro-Yuan'er is a new type of organic renewal in Beijing old city by inserting a mini art space and a mini library."Designed by: Standard Architecturestandardarchitecture.cn

Ray HuMicro Yuan'erThere is a larger space at left (as pictured in the model), which houses a library proper.Designed by: Standard Architecturestandardarchitecture.cn

Ray Hu1km-High Urban-Rural HabitatIn China, the government owns all of the property and only leases a limited amount every year, which may not be enough to support the country's rapid development. Designed by: Standard Architecturestandardarchitecture.cn

Ray HuRe-Traced MemoriesThis project explores the notion of memories lost to the reckless development of the city. This series of plates is cast from soon-to-be-demolished vestiges of old BeijingDesigned by: Studio Owww.studioo.cc

Ray HuCaochangdi - Opening DayThe Caochangdi artist's village is tucked in a far corner of Beijing and is a tight-knit community both for the existing residents and for artists and designers who have established themselves there. However, designer Ben Hughes commented that the public Designed by: A4 Studioswww.a4-studios.com

Ray HuCaochangdi - Opening DayHughes and his collaborators at A4 Studios curated the CCD exhibitions and festivities this year. This "Plug-in Station" was developed by his students at CAFADesigned by: A4 Studioswww.a4-studios.com

Ray HuCAFA - Design for Everyday IssuesExhibited in Naihan Li's new studio from September 27 – October 1, "Everyday Issues" followed from Hughes' brief to his graduating class of CAFA studentsto research and develop solutions for "everyday problems and basic improvements to everyday life."Designed by: CAFA Industrial Design studentsdesignyearshow.cafa.edu.cn2014/

Ray HuBarcelona was the Guest City this yearOnce again, Beijing Design Week hosted a robust guest city program, inviting designers from Barcelona to exhibit in the major design districts. As with Amsterdam last year, the guest city produced a large-scale exhibit in the massive silo exhibition spaceDesigned by: Beijing Design Weekwww.bjdw.orgGUEST_CITY/?lang=en

Meanwhile, the neighborhood of Dashilar has taken to the world stage the ongoing urban renewal case study: The ad hoc patchwork of Old Beijing—long a domestic tourist destination, opposite Tiananmen Square—was the subject of an exhibition at the Venice Biennale during the summer leading up to Beijing Design Week. With the grand reopening of the historic Quanyechang department store and Dashilar Guild House within it, event organizers had a new nexus for programming and exhibitions. An elegant three-story outpost bordering the massive construction site across the way from Dashilar, the renovation of the marketplace marks a major step in the development of the neighborhood, which may well look very different next year.

One more from mathematical madman maker John Edmark, this one on the furniture front. Practical? No; but his Four-Legged Chair has to be the most creative two-person bench I've ever seen: Six simple pieces of wood. But you just know that if a design student came up with this and...

Corinna Sy and Sebastian Daeschle from cuculaEvery January, the international furniture and interiors show IMM Cologne covers a vast area of exhibition space along the Rhine with more than 1,200 exhibitors showing their work to over 120,000 visitors. While parts of the show can become a little monotonous...

Professional organizers are always looking for good places to stash the stuff our clients need, so furniture that comes with storage always catches my attention. Prior posts have discussed beds and coffee tables with storage; now let's look at stools.The bucket stools from Pedersen+Lennard are made from recycled steel...

If you're a teenager, eventually you'll leave home. And in the vacuum left behind by a collegebound child, some parents will develop Empty Nest Syndrome.Some parents--but not all. To ensure that yours get the full experience, we recommend you pick up one of these Giant Birdsnest pieces of furniture, done...